Spain’s antitrust watchdog has fined Amazon and Apple a combined 194.1 million euros ($218 million) for colluding to limit the online sale of Apple products and those of its competitors in Spain.
The two companies signed a deal in 2018 that gave Amazon the status of authorized Apple dealer in Spain. This deal included anti-competitive clauses that restricted the number of sellers who could sell Apple products on Amazon’s website in Spain. As a result, more than 90% of the existing retailers who were using Amazon’s marketplace to sell Apple devices were blocked.
In addition, Amazon also reduced the capacity of retailers in the European Union based outside Spain to access Spanish customers, and restricted the advertising Apple’s competitors were allowed to place on its website when users searched for Apple products.
The watchdog said that the deal between Amazon and Apple had led to higher prices for Apple devices sold online in Spain. Both Amazon and Apple have said that they will appeal the fines.
The sources for this piece include an article in Reuters.